As new U.S. tariff measures are announced and trade policies continue to evolve, importers are already adapting. At Vizion, we’ve been closely watching how the market responds by monitoring upstream booking data, a critical leading indicator of containerized trade activity.

Instead of waiting for goods to arrive at U.S. ports, we analyzed when shipments were first booked with carriers, providing an early look at shifting demand, supplier decisions, and the ripple effects of policy changes.

Overall US Import Bookings: A Strong Start, But Slowing

Using Vizion’s TradeView AI, we queried Dun & Bradstreet’s Shipping Insights data to compare Q1 2025 bookings with the same period in 2024. The focus: total U.S. bound TEU volumes, using initial booking date as the anchor point.

January and February showed dramatic booking increases over 2024, while March growth slowed significantly. This trend may indicate early-year inventory pull-forward ahead of expected policy impacts, followed by a cautious rebalancing as tariff developments took shape.

Tariffs & Trade Diversification: What’s Happening with China?

With the U.S. announcing new or expanded tariffs on categories like electric vehicles, solar panels, semiconductors, and steel/aluminum, much of which originates from China, we looked at booking trends specific to that lane.

The data tells a compelling story: a surge in January bookings, likely driven by importers rushing to get ahead of rising tariffs or Lunar New Year factory closures. But by February and March, volumes dropped significantly YoY, hinting at potential demand contraction or sourcing shifts in response to policy uncertainty.

Sector Trends: Which Imports Are Gaining or Slowing?

We also analyzed bookings by industry to see how key categories are responding in the wake of tariff-related pressure.

Consumer goods categories like apparel, toys, and furniture remain strong, suggesting front-loading behavior or continued resilience in retail demand. In contrast, tariff-sensitive categories such as vehicles and industrial machinery are showing year-over-year declines, which could indicate the early impact of policy changes or efforts by importers to avoid rising costs. Meanwhile, bookings of articles of iron or steel are up 24%, likely reflecting a push by buyers to lock in shipments before new duties officially take effect.

Which Products Are Getting Hit Hardest by the New Tariffs?

According to analysis of Dun & Bradstreet Shipping Insights data, U.S. businesses are facing an average 29.3% increase in import costs as a result of the new tariffs. But the impact isn't spread evenly - certain industries are seeing significantly higher spikes. Products from general merchandise stores, leather goods, and apparel are among the hardest hit, with cost increases exceeding 40% in some categories. These findings highlight the concentrated pressure on specific sectors and the growing need for supply chain reassessments.

Major Week-Over-Week Drop in Ocean Bookings

Between March 24–31 and April 1–8, 2025, ocean freight booking volumes saw a sharp global decline. Total bookings dropped from over 2.1 million TEUs to just 1.09 million—a nearly 50% reduction. U.S. imports were hit even harder, falling 64% week-over-week, while exports out of the U.S. dropped 30%. Notably, U.S.-bound exports originating from China declined 36%, signaling a broader cooling in transpacific trade flows. These shifts could indicate easing demand, capacity constraints, or the impact of shifting global trade routes—and they warrant close monitoring in the weeks ahead.

Why Booking Data Matters for Tariff Monitoring

Traditional trade analysis often lags behind, relying on customs records or port arrivals. But booking data shows decisions at the source, sometimes a month or more in advance. It’s the earliest signal of supply chain behavior, especially in volatile policy environments.

By tapping into this first-mover data through Vizion’s TradeView platform, businesses can respond faster, whether that means adjusting sourcing strategies, preparing inventory buffers, or watching competitors shift lanes. If tariffs continue to escalate or expand across additional sectors, we expect booking patterns to shift again through volume drops, supplier diversification, or lane rebalancing.

Want to See This Data for Your Business?

Initial booking data provides early visibility into market shifts weeks before goods hit ports or show up in customs records. With TradeView and Dun & Bradstreet's Shipping Insights, Vizion makes that intelligence available to you.

‍If you're looking to monitor your key trade lanes or commodities, understand the impact of tariffs in real time, or query booking-level data across origins, carriers, or HS codes, Vizion’s TradeView gives you the tools to act with speed and clarity.

Request a demo or schedule time with us to learn more.